Mail Services

Domestic Services

Below are the various domestic delivery options available through Mail Services. If you need more information on a specific option, click the logo next to that service.

United Parcel Service (UPS)

Ground Shipping

UPS is an excellent choice for any package weighing 5 pounds or more. UPS Ground Service carries with it, a minimum $100 insurance on anything shipped, pending how well the customer has packaged the shipment. Delivery time is comparable, or slightly slower than Priority Mail. UPS shipments are sent using the UPS Worldship software. UPS cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes.

Federal Express (FedEx)

Priority Overnight

FedEx Priority Overnight Service delivers to most addresses by 10:30 a.m. the next business day (when shipped Next Day Air) most others by 3:00 p.m. Currently, this service is only available with a prepaid label from a third-party vendor (for example, when you receive a prepaid label in your shipment). FedEx cannot deliver to a P.O. Box.

United States Postal Service

Express Mail

Express Mail is the Postal Service’s premium service. It is the quickest and most reliable way to send anything through the Postal Service. Additionally, Express mail is the only service that can deliver overnight to a P.O. Box. Among the notable features of Express Mail is weekend and holiday delivery at no added cost. This makes Express Mail the best service to use on Fridays, when items need to be delivered as soon as possible. Additional insurance is available but only if the customer goes to the Post Office to mail the item. As an overnight service, it is less reliable than UPS Next Day. Express Mail does not guarantee time-sensitive service to extremely rural areas. If there is any doubt, look up the address at the Postal Service website, and determine if overnight service is available. USPS items are sent using postage stamps or meter imprint.

Signatures can be waived at no charge by having the customer sign the airbill in the appropriate place.

Priority Mail is a giant step down from Express Mail. The Postal Service considers Priority Mail to be an economical expedited service. However, unlike Express Mail and other services, such as those offered by DHL, Priority Mail is not insured or guaranteed. The Postal Service claims to offer special, dedicated procedures for the handling of Priority Mail. The published service standard for Priority Mail is 2 to 3 days. Test mailings, however, do not indicate any appreciable improvement in speed or handling over First-Class mail. Priority Mail costs start at $4.95 (a tracking number can be added for an additional $0.80). If the words “Priority Mail” appear anywhere on the packaging, the item must be charged Priority rates. Priority Mail packaging cannot be sent internationally. The Post Office will return these items to us without exception.

When someone thinks of sending something through the mail, they are probably thinking of using First-Class Mail. First-Class Mail includes Priority Mail and all of the appropriate sub classes that pertain to First-Class material. This includes presorted First-class Mail. The published service standard for First-Class Mail is 3 to 5 days, although there are no guarantees. First-Class Mail accounts for much of the mail the College sends and receives. Some benefits of First-Class Mail are that it is easy to send and protected by law against postal inspection.

Formerly known as 3rd-Class Mail, Standard Mail is more commonly thought of as “bulk mail.” The reason is that all Standard Mail rates are discounted, but they require a minimum number of pieces. Additionally, Standard Mail requires the mailer to present the mailing at the Post Office in a particular ZIP Code order. If you have a mailing of 300 or more of the same item, Standard Mail may be an option for you. Contact Donald at 847-735-5037 or at stanley@lakeforest.edu for more information.

Special services available – Ancillary Endorsement

Package Service

This service is more commonly known as Parcel Post and was once called 4th-Class Mail. As this service is geared toward heavier shipments, more often than not, UPS will offer a better, less expensive service, no matter what you are sending or where. The exception is that UPS cannot deliver to a P.O. box. Package Service has several sub-classes, which are based upon the contents of the item being shipped. These sub classes are listed below:

Parcel Post – Anything that cannot be sent by any of the means listed below should be sent Parcel Post.

Media Mail – Used for books, manuscripts, sheet music, CDs, DVDs, as well as other printed material. A tracking number can be added for an additional $0.80.

Library Mail – This is mail being sent from a nonprofit institution to another nonprofit institution.

Bound Printed Matter – Must consist primarily of advertising, promotional or editorial material. Furthermore, it must be at least 90% typewritten or printed and be permanently bound. This class of mail is used rarely.